WhenHugoChávezstormedtopowerinVenezuelain1998hepromisedtotransformthelivesofthepoor.Butnow20yearson,90percentoffamiliesinVenezuelasaytheydonothaveenoughtoeat-andtheUnitedNationspredictsthatoverfivemillionpeoplewillhavefledthecountrybytheendof2019.                                     Chávezwasatthehelmofthecountrywiththelargestprovenoilreservesintheworld,andsetaboutspendingVenezuela’svastoilwealth.AroundtheworldhewashailedasanewhopeforSocialismbysomepoliticians.                                     Aprecursortomanyoftoday’spopulistleaders,ChávezbypassedtraditionalmediaandspokedirectlytothepeoplethroughhisweeklyliveTVshow.Toldbymanyofthosewhoknewhim,thisisthestoryofincredibleshort-termachievementsinhealthandeducation,butalsoofthetragiclegacyofhisidealism,populismandruthlesspursuitofabsolutepower.                                     Withpopulistmovementsincreasinglytakingpowerincountriesaroundtheworld,it’sastorythat'snowmorerelevantthanever.                                     PartofBBCTwo’saward-winingThisWorldstrand.